The Current State of Philippine Television

The Current State of Philippine Television

From meager beginnings, Philippine television has evolved through the years. Through the development of technology, Philippine TV has been given access to a plethora of international shows. Cable TV has paved the way for the Filipino audience to have the power to choose from numerous television stations to watch. In the local television scenes, we have seen the emergence of the "Fanta-Serye", or series that now make use of special effects to enhance the show. For instance, in Mars Ravelo's Darna, we see a lot of special effects especially when portraying the given powers of the hero, Darna and her seemingly endless opponents. In "Kampanyerang Kuba", the popular show from rival station ABS-CBN, we often see the metamorphosis of lead actress Anne Curtis from a hunchback to a stunning young woman. In "Encantadia", such applications of technology are seen as well. Television formulas that worked in the past continue to be employed today. Drama series that deals primarily with a love story or a rags-to-riches theme continue to play on TV. We have seen "Mula sa Puso", to "Pangako Sa Yo" and now "Mga Anghel na Walang Langit", "Vietnam Rose". Filipinos have a passion for love and it is manifested on the shows that are made for them. Being a nation that loves humor, comedy shows have also sprouted like mushrooms. Shows like "Bora", "Bubble Gang", "The Adventures of Maverick and Ariel" and "Nuts Entertainment" have been household names. These kinds of shows give relief to the suffering people of the country, even for just half an hour. The competition to deliver the day's news has also stiffened. Most of the broadcast stations have their own news program. ABS-CBN has "TV Patrol", GMA has"24 Oras", Studio 23 has "News Tonight" and ABC 5 has its own version of a news program. In fact, news these days are not only delivered at night but also early in the morning with "Magandang Umaga Bayan", "Breakfast" and "Unang Hirit". News updates throughout the day are also provided by TV stations. In addition to this, TV programs that concentrate on celebrity news and intrigues are also a hit. Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino deliver juicy celebrity news on Sundays with "The Buzz" while Richard Gomez, Paolo Bediones and Pia Guanio deliver their celebrity "chismis" on "StarTalk". Variety Shows during noon are still popular to this day. Willie Revillame continues to entertain fans with his "Wowowee". Of course, the perennial heavyweight in noontime variety shows, "Eat Bulaga", continues to keep their fans glued to their seats. A common denominator with these shows is the games that award prizes and the celebrity performances. These programs continue to bank on this philosophy: Sex Sells. That is why we see those dancers grinding their body at Eat Bulaga (SexBomb Dancers) and Wowowee (G-girls). Reality shows, from a search for the next big singer to the documentation of how 12 people would behave in a house, have emerged as of late. Shows like "Star in a Million", "StarStruck", "Star Circle Quest", "Pinoy Big Brother", "Extra Challenge", "Fear Factor" and "American Idol" have become so popular these days. In fact, reality TV stars have also made a name for themselves. Take Rico Barrera for example. After appearing on the widely popular "Pinoy Big Brother" for just a few days, he has now become a such a prominent name that he appears on other TV shows. The influx of International TV shows has also been noticeable. Who could forget Dao Ming Si and San Cai in their "Meteor Garden" show? In fact, when they came here to visit, fans were becoming crazy even without understanding what the actors were saying. Other shows that have attracted quite an audience include "Full House", "Stairway to Heaven", "Lovers in Paris", "My MVP Valentine" and "Marimar". Slowly, the Filipino audience has developed an appreciation for productions that are close to them (Asian).